| Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter |
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Model: WGA54G
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 159
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: Game console
Data link protocol: IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
Lag-free head-to-head or Internet gaming at up to 54 Mbps, without stringing wires
Converts wired-Ethernet-ready game consoles to Wireless-G (draft 802.11g) network connectivity
Works without drivers on PlayStation2, Xbox, and GameCube
Also connects to Wireless-B (802.11b) networks at 11 Mbps
One year limited warranty |
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| Description: |
| The Wireless-G Game Adapter gives any wired Ethernet-equipped game console wireless connection capabilities. The Game Adapter can be used in two different ways. If you have an existing home wireless network and a cable or DSL Internet connection, the Game Adapter lets your PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube attach to the network so you can get into online games without running wires to the game room. Or, use a pair of Game Adapters to form a "cable-less cable" between two game consoles for head-to-head gaming - in the same room, or all the way across the house. It's completely driver-free, so it works on any platform. Since there are no drivers to load, setup is a snap. In some cases, it works right out of the box! If your setup's a little different - just configure the network settings through your PC's web browser, plug it into your game box, and go. The Wireless-G Game Adapter provides lag-free gaming with communication speeds up to 54Mbps when connected to other Wireless-G devices. It can also connect to Wireless-B (802.11b) devices and networks at 11Mbps. Spend your time gaming, not stringing wires, with the Linksys Wireless-G Game Adapter. |
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| User Reviews (159 total): |
Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 of Total 8 Pages
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Setup is Hard. But don't give up., January 29, 2008
By Paden (Alamo Cal)
Obviously if you are reading some of these reviews you can tell that the setup can be very difficult sometimes. However if you work at it it is very possible to figure out how to use. Once set up it works very well.
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Not Ready For Prime Time, January 26, 2008
By Allen H. Farrington (La Crescenta, CA United States)
After reading several reviews, I figured that the WGA54G was just hard to configure, and since I've written networking code before I thought that I could figure it out. I bought it to hook my DirecTV DVR (HR21-700) to my home network and since I already had a Linksys router, I thought that I'd stick with a known quantity.
I was trying to use this in an Infrastructure environment (not head-to-head) with a Linksys WRT54G with everything updated to the latest firmware revisions. Interestingly enough, the firmware on the WGA54G was one revision higher (1.16) than what Linksys had on their web page as the latest version! My wireless is WPA secured and is a 802.11g only network.
Setup via the web-based method was "nominal" given that I'm somewhat of a networking expert, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone that is using any security or non-mixed (802.11g only) infrastructure. The device would not consistently "take" the setup parameters. Just to be sure, I used the PC setup program with the same results. Many parameters did not survive a power cycle.
I was able to see the device right after power up on the network but it soon disappeared and would not hook up consistently and definitely did not allow my DVR onto the network.
After about 4 hours of reading web postings and trying different setups and configurations, I bailed on this device and the next day got an Airport Express. Apple 802.11g AirPort Express Base Station with AirTunes It took literally 5 minutes to hook up the Express and have it bridge my DVR over to the network so it's definitely worth the extra $30.
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Fast, easy to setup, and not just for games, January 22, 2008
By Qwertinsky
Anyone with basic home networking experience can set this up and be running in under five minutes. Just throw away the setup disk, and use the web interface through the Ethernet port.
I am using it on my Tivo right now, so it's not just for games as the name would lead you to believe. This is basically a wireless bridge and can be use to connect any Ethernet device to a wireless network.
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Poor Product + Poor Support = Awful Experience, January 17, 2008
By Sean Craig (Atlanta, GA USA)
I bought this shortly after getting my Xbox. I read information from its manual, the Xbox manual, my router's manual as well as the websites for all of them before I purchased and received this. I bought this because I couldn't get my notebook to bridge the wireless connection for me. I made sure to follow the instructions very carefully plugging everything in in the correct order. I soon noticed that it made almost no sound when I plugged it in. It seemed to be DOA. So after an hour of trying to get it to work--unplugging everything, plugging it back in, resetting the adapter, plugging everything back in, unplugging everything, resetting the adapter, plugging everything back in ad nauseam--I finally decided to call Linksys customer support. I called and spoke to someone with a British accent who seemed to be following a short list of troubleshooting instructions. Well, I tried everything he suggested (connecting it directly to the router; to the PC) and it would not work or be recognized by anything. I returned it for a refund and bought one from another retailer. It had the exact same issue. None of my computers (or Xbox) could detect it. I don't think my house had anything like excess humidity that was preventing it from working. So finally I returned it and bought the Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter MN740 which worked perfectly.
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Linksys Wireless-G Game Adapter-TOP NOTCH PRODUCT, January 12, 2008
By medicwyatt (Canyon Country, CA)
I don't get all the whinning in some of these other reviews. This works great on my XBOX 360! Sure it took a bit of time to set up, but the majority of the setup process is an optional security configuration. I think not getting hacked is worth a few extra minutes. This is a faster and more secure alternative to the more exspensive Microsoft version.
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Wireless gaming adapter, January 12, 2008
By Edward Samsen
Fantastic product No more tripping on network cables trailing through the house to the router.
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Costly Support!, January 6, 2008
By picky consumer (Four Corners)
I have had my Linksys router for 3 years. I also had to get a bridge to extend the range because it couldn't go through walls very well. I had to call them a lot because sometimes the bridge or router somehow lost the address.
They used to have free support until just very recently. My beef is with the cost of support. 3.99 a minute. ( I don't know if that includes listening for many minutes to bad music.) You can get 3 months support for $199, 6 months for $299 or 1 year for $499!!! I can tell you I spent many hours talking to tech support before this recent change of events. You will need tech support now and again when you change ISPs, go elsewhere.
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Works with XBOX 360, January 5, 2008
By J. Shaffer (PA, USA)
I bought this to use with my kids' XBOX 360. Configured it with a notebook computer in 5 minutes. Wireless network that you want to connect to must be active when configuring. Has been working fine for over 1 month so far.
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Outdated and Aged, November 23, 2007
By Annandale (Atlanta)
I bought this item for enabling me to connect my Toshiba HD A35 DVD player to the internet, after what I thought was some decent research. But boy was I in for a surprise. First there were no printed instructions in the box, that may be the fault of the distributor not necessarily Cisco. However I used the CD to try install the device, which started looking for the WGA54G. That's when it occurred to my that I need to connect it to my computer using the ethernet cable. The set up was supposed to automatically detect the device and proceed with the configuring. This did not happen. I had to contact Cisco via the online chat to get help. So I had to use the browser setting to configure the device. This was where I got the big shocker. The wireless security provided is WEP only. For those who do not know; WEP is not recommended as an effective wireless security protocol, WPA is preferred. My existing wireless network runs on WPA. Cisco instructed me to change the wireless network settings to WEP (are they crazy?). So I said no, when will there be a firmware upgrade available to support WAP. Answer is we do not know, you may want to try a network wireless bridge WET54G which does the same thing but supports WPA. The transmission speeds for the WgA54G is also slow, I currently transmit at up to speeds of 108 MPS. So if you have a modern wireless network, do not purchase this antiquated device, unfortunately I do not have a recommendation for you, I am still researching a better solution.
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Piece of Junk, October 28, 2007
By Keith Gordon (Chicago,IL)
Do not I repeat to do bu this porduct bad Link support and it shard to configure go with some d-link products there much better
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Gaming adapter for the tech savvy, October 3, 2007
By Amozarte (Chicago, IL United States)
I use this Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter for my PS2 and thus far it has performed adequately. Let me say for clarity that by "adequately" I mean it works, but there is nothing about this product that is outstanding.
First of all, the setup can be difficult unless A) you have a plain vanilla network or B) You are tech savvy and have a good grasp of configuring home/small office routers, wireless access points, and firewalls. I could go into the details of the grief you may encounter, but "Rarkm" does a great job of covering the relevant tech notes in his review so I'll simplify my comments by saying that you'll need some tech knowledge or the help of a techie friend to get set up the first time.
Once the initial setup is out of the way, this adapter should operate without any further setup or settings intervention from you.
Just how well does it function? Well, it does occasionally drop signal, which results in being kicked off online gaming sessions. This can be frustrating but it doesn't happen all that often- unless you're pushing the limits of it's range. Range will vary, depending on a lot of factors like other wireless devices in use, the construction of your house, etc. As a general rule I would say don't count on a reliable signal if there is more than one wall (or floor/ceiling) between the adapter and your access point.
Additionally, sometimes the adapter won't connect at all and must be turned off (unplugged) for a minute or two and then turned back on. This happens even less than the signal drops, but just enough to get noticed as a recurring theme.
Overall, this device works but just feels mediocre in design and execution. Hopefully future versions will address the shortcomings.
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Reliable Unit - Only lacks 802.11G, September 30, 2007
By T Man
While this unit can be used with most any gaming console I did not need it for mine as it has built in wireless, I purchased it specifically to work with a videoconferencing camera that did not have wireless built into it and I did not want to run wire down walls, or across the floor to another room from the main router. While the setup was not overly simple it is certainly easy enough for the average computer user, or anyone who has installed any network device before. The key to setup is plugging the unit directly into a pc or laptop via the standard network cable included, then running the included CD setup software with the instructions in hand.
Pros:
- Stays reliably up without rebooting, resetting or other potential issues
- Supports WPA & WEP security settings
- Reasonble price in comparison to many of the competitors doing offering the same product for $99 or more
- Includes necessary cables
Cons:
- Does not run 802.11g in any form
- While it does includes decent instructions with setup CD, they are not as detailed as they should be, especially for the inexperienced.
Overall I have been pleased with the unit, after returning the D-Link DGL-3420 because it did not support WPA security encryption, something which should definitely be supported in this day and age.
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Worked great for years - then I messed it up and needed help., July 31, 2007
By Robert (Vegas)
I set this up years ago and it worked great. Last week I tried setting up WPA until I realized the game adapter couldn't support it. I then switched back to WEP and the game adapter was not happy.
It took me two hours on the phone with a Linksys rep and nearly a hundred different attempts. They tried to convince me to switch to 64bit and I insisted on keeping it at 128. The HTTP setup page was doing strange things and I could never "apply" my changes. It would always disconnect or change from channel 6 to channel 1.
Finally he had me hook the adapter up to my PC and test out the connection. It worked and he realized all we had to do is let the adapter dynamically select an IP address. All that time and a second tier rep could have done this in 15 minutes.
I use a Wireless-G Range Expander, so my signal strength is pretty strong and the Xbox 360 connection is decent. The Range Expander was a four-hour ordeal with Linksys. Getting these devices to work is 75% luck and 25% skill.
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No Problems On a PS2, July 23, 2007
By R. Freed (Sicklerville, NJ USA)
I've read the networking nightmare stories on other reviews of this product and I have to say that I didn't have any of that. If you set up the wireless network in your own house, you should know what has to be done. In fact, for WEP networks, Linksys even lets you put in the passphrase and it will generate the key if you don't want to type in a long string of characters. Once I configured this on a PC (which took < 5 minutes), I just had to configure the ISP from the setup disc of the PS2 and my son was online in no time.
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Don't buy this!, June 17, 2007
By Tgurlie (Flint, Mi)
This thing is horrible it dosen't keep the connection for more than an hour, setup is difficult and Linksys customer support is awful. If you have a Xbox 360 buy the 360 network adapter even though it's overpriced it works.
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Short range, not worth it, May 13, 2007
By 14-Bis (Marietta, GA USA)
Purchase a WIFI bridge and configure it. Much better solution and it can be also be used for games.
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So simple, March 21, 2007
By M. Lewis (Rochester, NY)
I bought this adapter shortly before Christmas and have been using it since. It is very simple to set up and use. I have a network already established in my home using my Linksys WRT54G router.
The gaming adapter comes with a cd to program your network settings. Put the cd in any computer and have the adapter plugged into your computer's usb port. Follow the simple steps as far as entering your network's name and security encryption code. Thats it.
Plug it into your 360's usb port and you are on your way. I find it so hard to believe that anyone could have trouble with this adapter.
It is too expensive though but to me it beats the MS 360 adapter as you can only use that adapter with a 360. This adapter you can use for PS or Xbox or any game system capable of online gaming.
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Try the MUCH cheaper Linksys WGA11B Gaming Adapter, March 16, 2007
By MSJC
Don't waste money on this 802.11G adapter. Most, if not every individual playing online games will not be able to even come close to utilizing the 802.11G speeds this adapter is capable of, since broadband cable modems/dsl connections are only capable of transmissions of around 2MBps in speed. The Linksys WGA11B gaming adapter is MUCH cheaper, and works just as well. Just so you know, 802.11B is capable of speeds in the 10-11 MBPs. Save yourself the money and look into the much cheaper alternative which works just as well.
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I don't know what the rest of these people are talking about!, February 22, 2007
By J. Brown (VA)
I absolutely love this product. I had no problems installing it. I took out of the box, put in the cd, followed the directions and it was running in a matter of minutes. I have had it up and running for a week now and have never had problems with it. I use this in my bedroom which is located on the second floor and my Linksys router is all the way down in the basement, and I still get an excellent connection. I don't know if it makes a difference having all linksys products (it shouldn't).
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Ugh., December 17, 2006
By R. Lidguerre (Prince Albert, SK Canada)
I do not suggest anyone buy this, it is only going to give you a headache. and frustration beyond belief.
The instructions provided with the hardware is simple, so the install and whatnot should be simple right? Wrong. When I followed the instructions to a tee, it still did not work. So I went to the website, and went to the forums to look for help, and not shocking to me, it seemed that everyone posting there was having the same troubles as I.
Although when I do get it to work (4 times and counting; maybe if I don't toss it out into the street) it works perfectly, and stays connected for me. I did read that some people lost connection after a certain time and what not.
So if you are considering this, *please* please pleaaaaase consider and research other ones as well. This one is decent when it works, but to get it to work is just not worth the trouble.
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